James DeGale: 'Carl Froch is full of excuses'

IBF mandatory challenger James DeGale has insisted that world champion Carl Froch has no intention of fighting him at the start of 2015.

The two Brits must face each other by a February deadline or Froch must vacate his IBF belt, and as the Nottingham fighter continues to contemplate his future, DeGale believes that the 37-year-old is trying to find excuses to avoid facing him.

The 28-year-old told Ringside: "Carl Froch doesn't want to fight me. He is making every excuse not to fight me and, if I was him, I wouldn't fight me either.

"When he loses to me - and loses well - his credibility, his ego and his legacy would all be damaged.

"If I was him I would retire and give up and just swerve it because he's going to lose."

DeGale will return to action in Liverpool on November 22, with promoter Eddie Hearn stating that his unnamed next opponent is a former world title challenger.